Basic Tips for Swimming

These tips will help improve your form and protect you from injury, try regardless of how quick—or leisurely—your pace. 

Focus on form

Work on perfecting your form before you push yourself to swim faster. This will help you to avoid injuries resulting from poor technique and will make it easier to swim faster.

Keep your head down

When your face is in the water, look straight down at the pool bottom, not up at the wall ahead of you. This head-down position will enable you to slice through the water more easily and quickly. It will also lessen strain on your neck and back. And if you're swimming the crawl (often referred to as freestyle), breathe on both sides to avoid overworking one side of your body.

Streamline your body

Unlike water aerobics, in which you want more surface area and bigger movements to create more resistance for a better workout, swimming is more effective and enjoyable when you're streamlined—like a missile. 

When you push off the wall, no matter what stroke you're doing, overlap your hands, press your arms against your head, keep your legs together, and point your toes. When you start your strokes, keep your fingers together. If you're doing the breaststroke, resume a streamlined missile position as you glide between breaststrokes.

Strengthen your shoulders

While swimming tends to have a low rate of injury, shoulders can be susceptible to injury when swimming. Strengthening your shoulders can minimize your risk for issues, and it will give you more power. 

You can build your shoulder strength by practicing the arm raise and fly in the Resistance Workout.  If you notice any pain, try a different stroke or switch to water aerobics, walking, or running until the pain is gone. If it persists, talk to your doctor.

Learn more about Aqua Fitness from Harvard Medical School.

Image: SolStock/Getty Images